Today the European Commission has proposed a multi-annual plan for demersal fish stocks in the North Sea. The proposal covers demersal fish stocks, i.e. fish that live and feed near the bottom of the sea, and aims to ensure that stocks are fished at sustainable levels. It will also bring decision-making closer to fishermen.
On 29 June 2016 the Council of Fisheries Ministers and the European Parliament reached a political agreement to amend the rules currently in force for cod stocks (a long-term plan, also known as the cod recovery plan, which has been in force since 2008).
The bluefin tuna fishing season in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea was open from 26 May to 24 June for purse seiners. Thanks to the implementation of an international recovery plan and to the efforts made by fishermen, catch limits for this stock could again be increased this year (the EU quota is just over 11200t in 2016, compared to 7938 t two years ago).
The European Commission’s long-standing commitment towards the conservation of Bluefin tuna comes to the fore again for the main fishing season of 2016.
World fish stocks are being depleted by overfishing and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. This threatens not only the fish, but also the coastal communities that rely on fisheries for economic survival and a dependable food source. The European Commission has worked in close cooperation with EU countries and non-EU countries to develop the FLUX standards in order to exchange fisheries information in an effective, transparent and efficient manner.
Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella is at the Council of the European Union in Luxembourg today, presenting the Commission's proposed Regulation on technical measures to EU fisheries ministers. A proposed Regulation on data collection in the fisheries sector is also on the agenda.
The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on a multi-annual plan for cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea at a trilogue meeting yesterday, following a European Commission proposal in 2014.
Commission delivers on Better Regulation agenda on fisheries. Why a new proposal? Three decades of stratified measures have led to a highly complex regulatory structure.
Today the European Commission, continuing to deliver on its commitment to Better Regulation, presented a proposal for new conservation measures for fisheries in European seas.
A seminar organised by the European Commission in Brussels brought together national and European policymakers, scientists, fishing industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss first experiences with the implementation of the landing obligation. Speakers focused on lessons learnt and next steps.
Fish stocks in the Mediterranean have been declining for decades. Over 90% of the fish stocks assessed are over-exploited, and despite recent efforts the situation is not improving. Managing fish stocks is complicated by the fact that many of them are shared with non-EU countries.
This two-day event which was co-organised by the European Commission (DG MARE) and the Mediterranean Advisory Council (MEDAC) took place in Catania on 9-10 February 2016.
After Sweden (last March) and Finland (May), the Commission has adopted an Action Plan with Lithuania on 26 November to further improve the control of Baltic fisheries.
The Common Fisheries Policy obliges Member States to adjust their fleets' capacity to the fishing opportunities available to them. Member States continue to make progress to this aim, the Report shows.
Today the Commission adopted a plan to reduce the wasteful practice of discarding – throwing overboard unwanted fish – in the North Sea.
Today the Commission adopted two plans to reduce the wasteful practice of discarding – throwing overboard unwanted fish – in the north western and south western waters of the Atlantic. These discard plans concern demersal fisheries, i.e. fish that feed on or near the sea bottom, and are temporary measures to phase out discarding and gradually put in place the landing obligation, a key component of the EU's reformed Common Fisheries Policy.
The EU has been criticised recently for imposing a minimum size for fishing clams in the Mediterranean. Italian press reports that these rules limit the ability to enjoy the traditional dish of spaghetti with clams.
The seminar reviewed the latest information on the state of fish stocks and of the economic developments of the fleets in the Northeast Atlantic, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and in the Mediterranean.
